Transport in Birmingham - Buses and Coaches

Buses and Coaches

Over 90% of public transport use in the West Midlands is by bus. There are approximately 50 operators of registered local bus services in the West Midlands. The largest bus operator in the area is National Express West Midlands, which accounts for over 80% of all journeys. The company recently changed its name from Travel West Midlands as a part of National Express Group's re-branding. National Express West Midlands operates a large network based on a range of services radiating out of Birmingham City Centre and the Birmingham Outer Circle bus service, the longest urban bus service in Europe which chiefly follows the A4040 circular road.

Most of the network is operated on a commercial basis, with some services (usually evenings and Sundays) supported by Centro. Smaller operators provide a range of services, either in competition with National Express West Midlands or under contract to Centro. These include the Rotala group companies Central Connect/Blue Diamond (which is made up of the merger of Zak's, North Birmingham Busways and Birmingham Motor Traction) and Diamond Bus, Central Logistics, Choice Travel (part of D&G) and Redwing Contracts. Medium distance bus services from Birmingham include First Wyvern (formally First Midland Red) operating services to Worcester and Redditch. Arriva operates services to Tamworth & Kingsbury in Staffordshire. Warwickshire County Council also funds a service to Stratford-upon-Avon operated by Stagecoach in Warwickshire (formally known as Stratford Blue).

Despite the large number of buses serving Birmingham City Centre there is no longer a bus station. Instead buses use bus stops on surrounding roads which are given a lettered code, beginning with the name of the street (e.g. Carrs Lane = C* ).

The airport can also be reached via an express bus service from Coleshill Parkway station, on the Birmingham to Peterborough Line which run four times per hour and take around fifteen minutes. Alternatively, National Express West Midlands runs a regular bus service from the City Centre. The number 900 from Moor Street Queensway to Coventry runs via the airport and the NEC.

Birmingham is also a major hub in the National Express coach network, whose headquarters are in Birmingham. The group operates services from its hub at Birmingham Coach Station, a new coach station on the site of the former Digbeth Coach Station. A temporary coach station was located in nearby Oxford Street whilst building work was undertaken. The company's flagship NXL Shuttle service operates services to London with frequent services to all major airports and cities in Britain. Many of these are cross-country services operating from north to south, for which Birmingham provides interchange facilities. Birmingham also has a Megabus service to London.